Game apparatus.



E. M. FRANK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 31. 1910.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses 7 h Qia aw Inventnr Edward M. MK

Attys.

COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPl-l CO.,WASHXNUTON. D. c.

E. M. FRANK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 31, 1910.

1 ,024 1 94 Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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EDWARD M. FRANK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. FRANK, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Appara tus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to games and has for its general object to provide novel apparatus for playing new and interesting games.

The complete apparatus herein shown consists of a board, a card pack, and dice, usable individually or in combination.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a general View of the board; Fig. 1 is a fragment of the dice tray; Fig. 2 is a detail of a fragment of the board surface; Fig. 3 shows one complete division of the board; Fig. 4 shows a complete suit of cards; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, show respectively one card of each of three other suits; Fig. 8 illustrates a boss card; and Fig. 9 is a detail of a die.

The board 10 may be of any suitable material and construction. I show an advantageous form of folding construction in which the board is divided into quarters, hinged together as at a: on one central line to fold in half, and two of the quarters being hinged together as at y to fold together on a transverse central line. The dice tray 11 fits into a central aperture in the board for easy removal when the board is to be folded, and the bottom or floor of the dicetray is below the plane of the surrounding field of the board. 1

The field, or plane portion, of the board is divided by lines into four principal divisions, each subdivided into thirteen rectangular spaces 12, of convenient uniform size. A single space, 13, constituting a fifth division, is outlined upon the floor of the dice tray.

The four divisions of thirteen spaces each I will term the suit divisions. The fifth division of a single space, illustrated in the dice tray, I will term the boss division.

Each space on the board bears an illustration, and no two illustrations are alike.

All of the spaces constituting each suit division have displayed therein a suit emblem, there being four different emblems for the four different suits, and the appropriate emblem-preferably being displayed at least twice in each of the thirteen spaces of that suit division. The four suits are named respectively stars crowns, crosses, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 31, 1910.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 564,039.

shields and the emblems of the suits cor respond with such suit names.

The thirteen spaces of each suit division of the board are illustrated with thirteen different designs which are named respectively, and in their ranking order, as fol lows: The Flag, The Arms, The Castle, The Mayor, The Herald, The Knight, The Lady The Page, The General, The Colonel, The Major, The Captain, and The Lieutenant. Each space of the suit divisions bears a literal inscription of its rank name according to the above designations, and the illustrations within the spaces are appropriate to the rank names. The illustrations for the same rank name in spaces of different suit divisions are specifically different in design. Furthermore, each illustrated space bears a numerical indication of ranking value. The flag of each suit division bears a numerical indication of 20; the arms a numerical indication of 14; the castle, 11; and then consecutively through the ranking order down to the lieutenant, which bears an indication of 1, such values aggregating for each suit, 100, for facility in the calculation of scores.

The single space, 13, for the'fifth, or boss division, bears the name Boss suggestive of domination. It also bears a picture suggestive of its dominant character, such as the picture of a lion erect or dominant over the emblems of the four suits. It bears no value indication.

Obviously, the details of names, suit emblems, specific illustrations, and the like, may be varied at pleasure from the example illustrated herein, without departing from the essence of the organization herein disclosed and here-after claimed.

The playing cards are similarly divided into five divisions, four of which consist of thirteen cards each, the fifth division consisting of a single card. The four major divisions of thirteen cards each I will term the suit divisions, or suits, and the fifth division of one card I will call the boss division. Each suit card is a fac-simile of one of the suit spaces upon the board, so that the 52 suit cards of the pack correspond respectively with the 52 spaces of the suit divisions on the board. Thus, each suit card 12 bears the suit emblem, the literal name of its rank, the numerical indication of its ranking value, and the appropriate design, all conveniently displayed upon its face.

The single dominant or boss card, 13, of the boss division, bears the word Boss indicative of domination. It is devoid of value indication thereby to indicate that it has no numerical value under any conditions. It bears the same design, suggestive of its dominant character, as does the board space 13. Further it bears the words Sheriff ye be, the words Boss and Sheriff ye be indicating the function of dominance and that the holder must assume dominance in the playing of the game.

The dice, 14, four in number, have engraved thereon respectively fac-similes of cards of the four suits, each die bearing on five of its faces fac-similes of the designs of the five cards of the lowest ranking order of one of the suits, each design being supplemented with the numerical indication showing its value, and each die having on its sixth face the fac-simile of the boss card.

One game which I term conquest may be played with the apparatus in general as follows: The cards are suitably dealt among, say, four players, so that each player ultimately holds thirteen cards, the extra card being turned as a medium or trial trump during the course of the deal. The final trump may be determined by bidding, under rules providing that with one color, say crosses, as trumps, the ranking values shown on the cards shall be multiplied by two, with stars as trumps, such ranking values shall be multiplied by four, etc. The suit of the medium remains trumps unless some player contests or bids for a trump of higher suit value, the highest suit value bid becoming trump and its bidder becoming obligated or pledged to dispose of all his cards upon a penalty of a certain score to be entered by every other player in the event that he fails so to do.

Unless the boss card chances to be the trial trump, for which case special rules of play and scoring may be provided, the holder of the boss card dominates the play. He must declare himself sheriff by showing the boss card and exchanging it for any other card that he may desire to enhance the value of his hand. The player receiving the boss card in such exchange must in turn exchange it for the medium and discard the boss into the dice tray. The holding of the boss card also gives the holder thereof the right to one preliminary throw of the dice irrespective of his position with reference to the order of the dealing of the cards, although as to all subsequent throwings of the dice the order of the deal shall be followed. The original holder of the boss card may also be required to supervise the playing of the cards upon the board under prescribed penalty losses for failure to have each card placed in its appropriate space, and may be required to supervise the scoring.

Preliminarily to the playing of the cards, the players may display and score for predetermined groups of cards, such as sequences, etc., scoring according to the as signed scoring values of the groups as modified by the multiplying value of the trump.

The playing of the cards upon the board is governed by the throwing of the dice. For instance, the sheriff, or original holder of the boss card, first makes his preliminary throw. He may then play upon the board in the appropriate corresponding spaces such cards in his hand as he may select, the aggregate ranking value of which shall equal the aggregate ranking value of the dice thrown. It may be provided, however, that when any player holds in his hand a card exactly corresponding with that thrown upon any die, he must play that card, and select only such other cards as fall within the aggregate value of the remaining dice. Then the players throw in succession in the order of the deal, each player laying down cards on the board as above described. Appropriate scores may be allowed for the filling of complete suits upon the board. The player first to dispose of all of his cards upon the board may declare game with appropriate scoring count. Incidental scoring during the throwing of the dice may be made dependent upon the throwing of arbitrary combinations of the dice, such for instance, as an arbitrary score to be entered whenever four bosses are thrown at one cast,--this being the only set of four identical faces possible to be thrown with the four dice. A boss face of a die thrown counts nothing toward the aggregate ranking value; for the boss face of each die, like the boss carries no numerical value indication.

For further example, a game which I call drill may be played with the cards alone. In this game four players take part, each player being dealt thirteen cards, and the medium or trial trump being turned dur ing the course of the deal. Arbitrary combinations of cards may then be declared and exposed, and the holders thereof credited with suitable scores. The player next to the dealer then declares trumps, either by adopting the suit shown by the medium or by naming a suit of superior score-multiplying value. Any subsequent player may challenge the trump bid by naming a suit of superior value, the highest suit called becoming the final trump. Any player -may also declare a pledge to make a special hand, such as the drill, or pledge to capture all of the tricks, suitable scoring rules being made for such special hands. Upon the de termination of the trump, the player holding the boss card must assume domination of the play by declaring himself sheriff that is by indicating his possession of the boss card and take up the game with the trump already declared, the sherifi receiving a suitable arbitrary score upon showing the boss. The sherifi must then call for a partner by naming some card not in his own hand, the holder of such named card becoming his secret or undisclosed partner, and the sherifi may also call for any one other card if he so desires to fill out his hand, which card must be handed to him in exchange for the boss card, the boss being then exchanged for the medium by its recipient. The sheriff, with his partner, must take a definite number of tricks, the cards of which aggregate some fixed value, to score a win. If they fail, their opponents score according to predetermined rule.

Any player, including the sheriff, may declare a beat or pledge to take no tricks, in which event all other players unite in endeavoring to defeat his pledge, scores being entered according to the success or failure to redeem the pledge. Also, either opponent of the sheriff may declare contra to prevent the sherifi and his partner taking the requisite tricks, scoring double if they succeed and losing double if they fail in making good their pledge. The undisclosed partner of the sheriff may not declare contra. Thus, it will be seen that the boss card dominates the play, imposing upon the holder, or sheriff, certain requirements which he must satisfy, and giving him certain dominant privileges, such card being discarded when its functions of imparting compulsions and privileges have been exercised.

What I claim is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having distinguishably marked spaces, each for the reception of a card, similarly marked cards, one for each space upon the board, and dice having faces marked to correspond to certain of the spaces on the board and on the cards.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having designated spaces distinguishably marked, a pack of playing cards, each of size to rest upon one of the spaces of the board, and each marked for correspondence with its space of said board and no other, and dice having faces suitably marked for correspondence with designated cards of said pack and with spaces of the board.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board providing a plurality of distinguishably and individually designated spaces, cards corresponding with said individual spaces in size and designation, each said card bearing a value indication, and dice having upon the faces thereof value in dications corresponding with those of some of the cards.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board providing a central area for the throw of dice, and providing suitably designated spaces surrounding said area, each said space being clearly distinguished from every other space in design, cards corre sponding in number with said spaces, and bearing facsimile representations of the identifying designs of said spaces, and dice having faces bearing designs associating them with specific cards of the pack and spaces of the board.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board providing a central dice tray in a lower plane and a surrounding field in a higher plane, said field being divided into spaces for the reception of cards, and each space bearing a picture, an indication of value, and an indication of suit, and a playing card pack whereof the cards are substantially equal in size to the spaces upon the field of said board, each card bearing a picture, an indication of value, and an indication of suit, associating it with one only of the spaces upon the board.

6. In a game apparatus, a board providing a central dice-receiving area surround ed by walls, and a field encompassing the dice area divided into spaces, each said space bearing an indication of suit, an indi cation of value, and an indication of rank.

7. A playing card pack comprising a plurality of suit divisions the several cards of each suit division bearing each an indication of a suit and an indication of its value in the suit, and an additional card bearing an indication of dominance and a verbal expression of ofiice imposed upon its holder.

8. A playing card pack comprising a plurality of suit divisions, and a single dominant division, the cards of each suit division bearing indications of suit denomination, indications of name suggestive of relative rank in the suit division, and numerical indications of value corresponding in sequence to the relative rank indicated by the rank name, and the card of the dominant division bearing an indication of dominance imposed upon its holder.

9. In a game apparatus, a playing card pack comprising a plurality of suit divisions each comprising a plurality of cards, and a dominant division comprising a single card, each card of a suit division bearing an indication of its suit denomination and the several cards of each suit division hearing indications of successive values, in their respective divisions, the card of the dominant division bearing an indication of dominance and a verbal expression of oflice imposed upon its holder.

10. In a game apparatus, a playing card pack comprising a plurality of suit divisions, each comprising a plurality of cards, and a domlnant dlvlsion comprising a single card, each card of the suit divisions bearing an indication of its suit denomination and the several cards of each suit division bearing indications of successive values in their respective divisions, the card of the dominant division bearing an indication of dominance and a verbal expression of oflice imposed upon its holder; a board bearing spaces suitably designated for the reception of specific suit cards, and dice, each bearing on five of its faces indications corresponding with specific suit cards, and upon its sixth face an indication corresponding with the dominant card.

11. In a game apparatus, a playing card pack comprising a plurality of suit divisions, each consisting of a plurality of cards, and a dominant division consisting of a single card; each card of a suit division bearing an indication of its suit designation, an indication of value, and an indication of rank value, the aggregate value of the Vindications for each suit division being 100; and the single card of the dominant division bearing an expression indicative of domination imposed upon its holder.

12. In a game apparatus, a board providing a field divided into five divisions, one division consisting of a single card space centrally disposed, and the other four suit divisions, encompassing said central card space, being subdivided each into thirteen card spaces: a playing card pack consisting of five divisions, corresponding with the board divisions, one division consisting of a single card, and four suit divisions consisting of thirteen cards each; and a set of four dice one for each major division of the cards and board, the respectively corresponding cards and board spaces being fac-similes; the cards and corresponding board spaces of each major division each bearing a suit indication, a rank name, and corresponding illustration, and a numerical indication, and the card and corresponding board space of the fifth division bearing an expression and an illustration indicative of dominance; and the dice corresponding with each major division bearing on five faces fac-similes of the indicia of five of the board spaces of lowest numerical value and on its sixth face a fac-simile 0f the indicia of the fifth or dominant division.

18. A playing card pack comprising cards divided into suits each comprising a plurality of cards, and an additional card bearing on its face a display indicating that it is of dominant character and that it imposes upon its holder a special ofiice in the game.

14-. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having distinguishably designated spaces, said spaces being divided into suit divisions, each space bearing an indication of its suit division, a pack of cards equal in number to the spaces on the board, said cards being divided into suits corresponding with the suit divisions on the board, each card bearing an indication of its suit, and an additional card bearing indication of all of the suits of the board and cards, an indication of dominance, and an indication of command, whereby in the play of games special obligations and oifice may be imparted by said additional card.

15. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board having thereon suit divisions divided into spaces, each space bearing an indication of its division and of its rank in the division, and the board having thereon an additional division bearing an indication of embodiment of all of the suit divisions and an indication of dominance over the suit divisions; a playing card pack comprising suit cards each bearing an indication associating said card with one individual space on the board, and an additional card bearing indication of all the suit divisicns associating it with the additional space upon the board, and said additional card bearing also an indication of dominance and of command, whereby in the play of games with said apparatus special obligations, attributions, and cancellation of privileges may be imparted by said card, said card thereafter to be eliminated from the game.

16. A playing card pack consisting of a plurality of suits of cards each suit comprising a suitable number of cards bearing indications of successive rank, and each bearing an indication of its suit, and an ad ditional card bearing in its display an indication that its holder is obligated to assume a dominant office in the play.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD M. FRANK.

In the presence of WV. LINN ALLEN, MARY F. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C.

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